Judgment Day
Synopsis (*from the official NBC write up) At Unity Hall, throngs of citizens eagerly wait with orange envelopes, hoping their case is one of ten selected for Judgment Day, where King Silas personally hears their case and rules on it. As the cases are read, groups of people erupt in cheers. Michelle, holding her envelope, hopes her healthcare case is called as well. However, it's not to be. Michelle is among the thousands of disappointed litigants. In a far less jubilant court, David sits apart from his family as Ethan is found guilty of several charges, including treason. He refuses David's offer to help, saying God will save him. David tells his mother that he'll fix it, but she only shoves him out of the way. David tells Michelle about Ethan's plight, so she pleads with Silas to help him. After all, Ethan did save her life. Silas hasn't forgotten that and promises to look into it. Klotz pines over Thomasina and tells Boyden that he'll tell her he loves her after Judgment Day. Upon entering the boardroom, Silas gets a rousing applause from the litigants of the ten cases. Queen Rose tells Thomasina that Andrew Cross, her nephew and William's son, is back from exile and having dinner with them tonight. She wants everyone to welcome him. At home, William is surprised to see Andrew there. Silas interrupts Judgment Day to award David the Medal of Valor. Quietly, David asks Silas for clemency for Ethan. Silas says he can't overturn a court's ruling on treason. Jack, hiding his jealousy, tells David that Silas won't overturn the ruling because he'll look weak. But, if David can get Ethan's case into Judgment Day, he has a chance. Jack says Judgment Day is really just a public image ploy. The kinder Silas is, the more the people love him. He says the ministers are deliberating a new tenth case since one was thrown out. They race to the hearing, but when they enter, Michelle is already there presenting her healthcare improvement case to Katrina. Unbeknownst to David, Katrina and Jack arranged this so it would cause a conflict between them. After her presentation, David asks Michelle to withdraw her case. Katrina and Jack watch, smug that their ruse to put David and Michelle at odds worked. Silas hears a case against Reverend Samuels, where the Congregation of the Silent Prayer is accusing Samuels of embezzling $500,000. However, Silas finds that their accountant may have deliberately deceived Samuels and orders her to stand trial instead. Paul Lash, Michelle's partner and financial backer for her healthcare bid, confronts her about withdrawing their case. She assures him it was the right thing to do. Back in the hearing room, David and Michelle listen as Katrina announces the tenth case will go to Michelle. Michelle says she withdrew her case, but Katrina coolly says the ministry put in too much time and effort, and her case has more merit that David's. When David says he'll get Ethan to recant, Jack says someone with power is pressuring the prosecution to make an example out of Ethan. Worse, they're pushing for the death penalty. After Samuels' case, Silas sees Helen in the crowd. Unnerved by her presence, he asks Samuels to join him for dinner, needing company. With some reservation, Samuels accepts the invitation. William and Andrew arrive at Altar Mansion for dinner and are welcomed to the table. Katrina and Jack smile, pleased at this new ingredient to create more fireworks. Silas is disappointed when he hears that Samuels can't make it to dinner. William asks Rose if she can arrange a job in Unity Hall for Andrew, but she says to let him settle in first. With thinly veiled admonishment, Silas asks Andrew if things will be different from last time. Andrew says he understands why Silas had to exile him, adding that it wasn't so bad, just empty. No one to talk to and being denied the nice things in life. After dinner, Silas finds Rose looking for her missing shoe. He wonders aloud why they pardoned Andrew. She doesn't answer. Unphased, Silas turns on the romance and praises her. Unhappy with him for awarding David the Medal of Valor, she quips that maybe she should get a medal. The mood killed, Silas retreats. Rose adds that Silas should focus on Jack more than David. In prison, David unsuccessfully tries to get Ethan to recant his testimony. Ethan doesn't want the King's forgiveness; he wants him to change his mind about giving their land to Gath. Ethan feels that God wants them to protect His land. David pleads again, but Ethan won't budge. David's try's one last time, saying that they can change things and save him. Ethan, firm in his belief that he's doing right by God, says that he's already saved. Michelle figures out that Jack's the boss behind Katrina's figurehead ministry and choreographed Ethan's case getting denied. She confronts him about letting Ethan die because he's jealous of David. Jack admits he fears being replaced. He knows Michelle and David have feelings for each other and that Silas favors David. And that Michelle, though barren due to a childhood illness, can still take right of place because she's minutes older than Jack. Jack worries Silas will arrange their marriage, make them King and Queen and cast him aside. Michelle asks what it will take for him to help. Jack says to tell David to take what's offered. Michelle tells David that Katrina, who has influence, has offered to tell the judges to give Ethan a lighter sentence. In return, Katrina wants David to use his next press briefing to tell the world that Silas has lost his way and isn't fit to lead. Why? Because she knows it would hurt Silas coming from him. Aside from being appalled at the dirty politics, David worries not only about the repercussions for going against his King, but that if he does that, he'll never see her again. They share a passionate kiss, but Michelle breaks away, saying she can't. In the Gehenneh Prison, Silas visits Vesper Abadon, ousted tyrant King, believed dead. Silas brings a smorgasbord of food, the likes of which Vesper hasn't seen in decades. Silas is there seeking honesty and that's exactly what he gets. Vesper tells him that loneliness, friendlessness, and expecting betrayal at every turn comes with being King. As well as to not look for sincere, selfless goodness extended toward him, as God won't allow it. Silas asks what he ever did to God. "You asked to be King," he says. Day two of Judgment Day and Doctor Nayar, who saved King Silas' son Seth, is before the court. Both feign not recognizing each other. Guilt ridden, Dr. Nayar turned himself in for a drunk driving hit-and-run fatality that he committed ten years ago. He's spent ten years in atonement as a doctor saving lives. Knowing that doesn't replace the one he took, he asks to stay out of prison where he can continue saving lives. Silas is shocked when Helen testifies as Nayar's character witness. She recounts, as if they've never met, how Nayar saved her son. Even so, Silas orders Nayar to serve his full sentence as David watches. At his press briefing, as Jack and Katrina watch expectantly, David praises Silas for carrying out justice in a fair, just manner and for knowing what's right. He adds that "we're all protected under his wisdom". Furious, Jack storms off, ordering Katrina to make sure Ethan gets the full punishment. However, Katrina appears conflicted with that. David sees Michelle and says he just couldn't do it, manipulating the system and lie. He rips the Medal of Valor from his chest and sticks it in a discarded envelope then throws it back on the floor. At home, William goes into Andrew's room and is disturbed when he finds Rose's missing shoe. In court, Ethan learns that he's been found guilty of high treason against the crown. He is sentenced to death and will face the gallows at dawn tomorrow. Jesse watches in tearful horror as her son is dragged away. David sits sickened that his weakness cost his brother his life. Meanwhile, Silas grants Michelle and Paul's health petition into law, but she's hardly jubilant with Ethan weighing on her mind. When he comments on her moroseness, she points this out to her father. Katrina, feeling guilty, tells Jack that tomorrow Ethan will die thanks to him. Jack is quick to share the credit with her since she holds sway with the judge. Katrina wonders why David didn't go through with it. Jack doesn't care. He's confident David will leave after Ethan's executed. Katrina tells Jack it cost him tar on his soul. When she spurns his advances, Jack tries to put her in her place, "You of all people, judging me?" Katrina hits back below the belt, "Well, that can't feel good when someone like me won't even have you." In the hall, Katrina picks up a stray envelope and finds David's Medal of Valor inside. She finds Silas and admits she originally came here out of greed and the prestige. She places David's pin on the table, saying "someone here" had all that and turned it down. And more, willing sacrifice. She points out that the owner of that medal is his friend, loyal beyond any price. Silas looks at it. Perhaps he's not entirely friendless. Silas tells David that he commuted Ethan's sentence to six months at a minimum security prison. He felt the court was unjust in offering such a severe sentence and was pressured by someone who wanted to make a point. He says it's not a favor. It's just justice. Silas pins the medal of valor back on David, who hugs him. Silas is taken aback and struggles against the urge to hug back. David says he now understands that God works through Silas. He calls home and tells his mother the good news, who welcomes him back into the nest. Michelle visits David at his apartment and explains why she runs every time they get close. David didn't know she had feelings for him too. She does, but crushes him when she breaks the news that she's been promised to someone else. She says she's sorry. It's all she can say. Category:Episodes Category:Season 1 Episodes